The note focuses on experiences in rural India, showing that information and communications technology (ICT) can enhance poor people's opportunities, by improving access to markets, as well as health care. Furthermore, it can empower them by expanding their use of government services, including...

A lo largo de la última década y media, los países de América Latina han implementado un número creciente de programas de transferencias condicionadas y de pensiones sociales. Con el fin de mejorar las evaluaciones y fomentar la transparencia, en este documento se analizan las discrepancias...

Conditional cash transfer (CCT) programmes have worked fairly well in large upper middle-income countries such as Brazil and Mexico. But this does not mean that the CCT model can be exported to all countries, especially the poorest. As the table shows, programmes in low-income countries are...

What factors led to the reduction of poverty in Latin America from 1990 onwards? This article looks into the key factors that have played a part in reducing poverty in the region, including, in particular, employment and remuneration for work. With data from household surveys, the authors...

This chapter examines the digital divide that exists within Latin American countries. It argues that information and communication technology is creating new opportunities that can be seized to support human development and poverty-reduction strategies. However, it also clarifies that ICT on its...

This book reflects on the public policies, programmes and regulatory frameworks that are taking a rights-based approach to expanding social protection coverage and benefits in Latin America, with a view to achieving universal coverage. The book’s discussion of the policy tools and programmes...

In the poor and drought-prone rural district of Dhar in Madhya Pradesh, India, Gyandoot has tried since January 2000 to make government services more accessible to villagers through information and communications technology (ICT). Two recent surveys of this e-government project allow us to...